Oct 17th
Well it has been a few days since I arrived back, but I should do a round up of the trip home after the breakdown at St Marys.
After a good nights sleep at the hotel I had breakfast and wandered down the street to the garage to pick up my bike and hopefully make it back to Ulverstone where I was staying while in Tassie.
I arrived just as the owner was opening up for the morning. He served a customer while I took the battery off charge. Once the battery was re-installed I push my bike to the fuel pump to fill the tank. Wanting to conserve all the battery power I could. I had also disconnected all auxiliary power and the headlights.
I walked in to pay and asked how much for the fuel and his efforts to get me back on the road. He would only accept payment for the fuel saying that he was happy to help and would do the same for anyone. Its a rare thing to find friendly service like that anywhere.
I left St Marys with the thought that I will definitely return to the town some time.
The ride home was very uneventful and arrived at Ulverstone within about 2.5 hours. I stopped in at a motorcycle shop that is now owned by an old school mate and purchased a new battery. Once I arrived back at the inlaws I put the battery on to charge. I had sadly missed out on the promise of curried Scallops the night before. My wife then informed me that they hadn’t forgotten me.
Scallops and Bacon
Tasmanian Scallops are the best. this was so Yum.
I spent a couple of days in Tassie visiting both my wife’s parents and mine. Also my sister and brother in-law. Always good to catch up with family. 🙂
Oct 20
It was time to leave my home state. This was only a short visit and now it was time to see if my bike would make it back to South Australia. I had a fully charged battery in the bike and a spare in the pannier. earlier in the day I decided that I would book a cabin to ensure a good nights sleep as it was a 730km ride back home the following morning.
I arrived at the pier and was asked to fall in behind the other motorcycles. After turning the bend I filled in behind about 100 Outlaw Motorcyclist again. Boy I was glad to have upgraded to a cabin.
Not quite so many on the trip back and they were well behaved on the boat.
Leaving the Mersey River in Devonport
Oct 21
I awoke well rested the next morning and soon found my way to the Western Highway towards Ballarat. I had no issues with the bike and arrived home by about 3pm. However I am now left wondering what was wrong with my bike. if it was the alternator the battery should have been flat but was showing no signs of it.
I guess I have that mystery to follow up on.
Coyote 